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SHE TOOK OFF HER LONG PINK 
HAIR RIBBON AND TIED IT AROUND 
THE PEACOCK’S NECK. 74) 


THE 

JOLLY POLLY STORIES 
By Gertrude Smith Author of 
‘‘The Arabella and Araminta 
Stories,” etc., with illustrations 
by Elsie D. Drake 



Boston : Small, Maynard 
& Company : M C M X V H I 


COPYRIGHT 




1918 BY SMALL, MAYNARD AND COMPANY 

(incorporated) 


'“JL 15 1918 

©Ci.A4S!!()!)9 


I 


/(/L/j. 


ALBERT GREENLEAF HALE 








CONTENTS 


Tortsie and the Windmill 

Page I 

Jolly Polly’s Present 

7 

Dan and Dina 

H 

The Funny-Day Story 

22 

Baby Janet 

29 

Haha, Giggle, and Fun 

37 

The Bird’s Nest 

45 

Jolly Polly Sings Praises 

54 

When Jolly Polly Was Naughty 

64 

Jolly Polly’s Dearest Wish 

72 

Jolly Polly’s Surprise Party 

80 

Jolly Polly’s Christmas 

88 














ILLUSTRATIONS 


She took ofF her long pink hair ribbon and 

tied it around the peacock’s neck . Frontispiece 

PAGE 


Jolly Polly’s mother stood in the doorway, 

laughing 2 

Jolly Polly put her arms tight around Grand- 
father’s neck and away they ran towards 
the house 10 

“I’ll let you ride on my pony if you’ll let me 

hold your puppy dogs by that strap” . . 18 

The little monkey went in wading, too . . 26 

Jolly Polly ran to the side of her mother’s 
bed, and there, close in her mother’s arms, 
was a beautiful baby sister 36 

“Look quick, Janet, because you are so heavy!” 
whispered Jolly Polly 


46 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


viii 

Jolly Polly went skipping, and dancing, and 
singing down the garden walk between 
the tall rows of hollyhocks 54 

Jolly Polly ran back and picked up Toodles 

and gave her to Jane 62 

“ Pretty, pretty,” said Baby Sister, “Oh, pretty, 

pretty!” 82 

Polly raised her chin and sang too , . 90 

Jolly Polly and all the people in the house 
were very busy tying up packages in gold 
and silver paper 96 


THE JOLLY POLLY STORIES 









TORTSIE AND THE 
WINDMILL 


M amma, listen to my Wind- 
mill sing,” cried Jolly Polly. 
Jolly Polly was riding up and 
down in the yard on her mouse-colored 
Donkey. 

Jolly Polly’s mother stood in the door- 
way, laughing. “What does the Wind- 
mill say when it sings, little daughter.^” 
she asked. Jolly Polly was six years old, 
and she truly believed that everything talks 
or whistles or sings when a child keeps 
still and listens. 

Round and round in the wind flew the 
big white wheel of the Windmill, pumping 
water out of the well. 

“‘I am pumping water for Jolly Polly, 

I am pumping water for Tortsie.’ 


2 TORTSIE AND THE WINDMILL 

That is what my dear Windmill is sing- 
ing,” cried Jolly Polly. (Tortsie was the 
mouse-colored Donkey’s name.) 

“Look, little girl, look quickly!” whis- 
pered Jolly Polly’s mother. “There are 
three Black Birds and two Pigeons and 
one old Rooster, standing on the edge of 
the watering-trough, taking a drink.” 

“Oh! oh!” whispered Jolly Polly. 
“My Windmill is singing ^ Three little 
Black Birds, two lovely Pigeons and one 
old Rooster boy taking a drink.”’ 

Jolly Polly’s mother laughed merrily 
and threw her a kiss and went into the 
house. Jolly Polly rode up and down the 
yard and around the house as fast as her 
little mouse-colored Donkey could gallop. 

Jolly Polly wore a pink dress and a big 
pink bow on her hair and oh, she looked 
happy. “Tortsie, I wish you were a little 
boy instead of a little donkey,” said Jolly 



THE DOORWAY. LAUGHING 






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TORTSIE AND THE WINDMILL 3 

Polly. “I do want a funny little boy to 
play with to-day!” 

Tortsie opened his mouth wide and 
made a strange noise. “Aw-ee-aw! aw- 
ee!” said the little mouse-colored donkey, 
then kicked up his heels and stuck out his 
tail and began to run. 

“Mamma! mamma!” screamed Jolly 
Polly. “Tortsie is running away with 
me! ” 

All at once Tortsie stopped and put his 
head close to the ground and buck’d three 
times and tumbled Jolly Polly off in the 
grass. 

“Ha! ha!” laughed a little boy’s voice 
quite near. 

Jolly Polly lay still in the grass and lis- 
tened. “I am not hurt a bit, and I hear 
a little boy laughing,” whispered Jolly 
Polly. 

“Here I am, up in this tree,” called the 


4 TORTSIE AND THE WINDMILL 

little boy. “See me play monkey! See 
me play monkey!” 

There was an old apple tree near, and 
up among the apple blossoms sat a boy 
with red hair and a freckled nose. When 
Jolly Polly looked up at the little boy, 
what do you think he did.^ Why, he 
swung by his toes to a limb of a tree, and 
then dropped down to the grass. 

Jolly Polly sat up and clapped her 
hands and laughed and laughed. “I 
wished for a little boy to play with,” she 
said, “and here you are!” 

“I’m not a boy,” giggled the little boy, 
“I am just a little monkey.” 

Jolly Polly tried to stand on her head, 
but she laughed so hard she tumbled 
down in the grass. 

Tortsie came trotting back and looked 
at the little boy with solemn eyes, and 
shook his long ears. “Aw-ee-aw!” he 


TORTSIE AND THE WINDMILL 5 

cried. “Here I am, Jolly Polly,” he was 
trying to say. “ I am sorry I threw you 
off and ran away!” 

The little boy climbed up on Tortsie’s 
back and away he rode around the yard 
on a gallop. 

“Tortsie will throw you off!” screamed 
Jolly Polly. “This is one of Tortsie’s 
naughty days, and he will toss you off.” 

The little boy was not afraid. He stood 
right up on Tortsie’s back and rode around 
the yard. “I am a little monkeys I can 
ride a donkey,” sang the little boy. 

Jolly Polly ran after him as fast as her 
fat legs could carry her. “Stop, boy,” she 
called. “ I want to ride. I want to play I 
am a monkey, too.” 

“Whoa! whoa!” shouted the little boy. 
“Stop, Mr. Longears, and let Jolly Polly 
ride!” 

Tortsie stopped when he reached the 


6 TORTSIE AND THE WINDMILL 

watering-trough, because he wanted a drink. 
Jolly Polly climbed on Tortsie’s back be- 
hind the little boy and away they rode 
around the yard. 

“I’m a little monkey, I can ride a 
donkey,” screamed Jolly Polly, opening 
her mouth very wide. 

“I’m a little monkey,” screamed the 
little boy. 

Oh, what a noise Jolly Polly and the 
little boy made, and oh, what fun they 
had! Jolly Polly’s mother and father 
both came to the door to see what the 
noise could be. 

“Ha! ha! ha!” laughed Jolly Polly’s 
father and mother. “What a fine time 
you are having, little girl!” Jolly Polly’s 
father and mother were always laughing. 
They were almost as jolly and full of fun 
as their little girl. 


JOLLY POLLY’S PRESENT 

^ND one morning, before Jolly Polly 
LJL was awake, Grandfather Gordon 
-L came out from the city in his big, 
white automobile. 

“Hurrah!” shouted Grandfather Gor- 
don, as he stopped at the gate. “I 
have a wonderful present for Tolly Polly. 
Hurrah!” 

“Oh! oh!” cried Jolly Polly’s mother. 
“It is raining. It is raining hard, and 
there is Grandfather Gordon out by the 
gate in his big, white automobile.” 

Just then Jolly Polly woke up in her 
little room and jumped out of bed and 
ran to the window. 

“Oh! oh!” cried Jolly Polly. “There 
is my grandpa out by the gate in his big, 
white automobile!” 

Jolly Polly ran downstairs in her nighty 


8 JOLLY POLLY’S PRESENT 

and out of the open door into the rain. 
Yes, yes, Jolly Polly knew it was naughty 
to run out in the rain in her nighty, but 
she was so glad to see her Grandfather 
Gordon that she forgot to be good for a 
moment. 

“Hi-ho!” shouted Grandfather Gor- 
don. “Is that a little fairy Is that a 
water-fairy I see dancing in the warm 
summer rain.^” 

Jolly Polly ran down the walk to the 
gate. 

“I want to ride out to the barn with 
you. Grandpa,” called Jolly Polly. “You 
always put Mr. Automobile in the barn 
when it rains.” 

“All right,” laughed Grandfather Gor- 
don. He took Jolly Polly’s hand and up 
she jumped to the seat beside him. 

“Honk! honk!” said Mr. Automobile, 
and away they went to the big red barn. 


JOLLY POLLY’S PRESENT 9 

“Oh, Jolly Polly,” said Grandfather 
Gordon, “I have brought a wonderful pres- 
ent for a good little girl. Does a good 
little girl run out in the rain in her nighty. 
Jolly Polly.?” 

Jolly Polly looked up quickly. 

“Why, Grandpa,” she replied, “I am a 
little fairy — you said it yourself! I am 
a dear little water-fairy that dances in the 
rain ! ” 

“Ha! ha!” laughed Grandfather Gor- 
don. “Ha! ha! Well, put your arms 
around my neck. Jolly Polly, and we will 
run to the house under my big umbrella.” 

Jolly Polly put her arms tight around 
Grandfather’s neck and away they ran 
towards the house. 

“Listen, Grandpa,” whispered Jolly 
Polly, “I can hear the pretty rain on your 
big umbrella.” 

“What does the pretty rain say when 


lo JOLLY POLLY’S PRESENT 

it sings, little fairy?” asked Grandfather 
Gordon. 

Jolly Polly laughed and said: 

“My pretty rain sings, ‘Let Jolly Polly 
run on the lawn in the rain with Tortsie, 
Grandpa, — let her run in the rain. Let 
her run in the rain!’” 

“Run, run, little golden-haired fairy!” 
laughed Grandfather Gordon. “Run on 
the lawn in the buttercup blossoms with 
Tortsie, and then we’ll go in and have 
your present.” 

(Tortsie was Jolly Polly’s little mouse- 
colored donkey, you remember.) 

How Tortsie was to see Jolly Polly! 
Around the yard in the buttercup blossoms 
raced Jolly Polly and Tortsie, and Grand- 
father raced with them under his big um- 
brella. Jolly Polly’s mother came to the 
door. 

“Grandfather Gordon,” she called. 


JOLLY POLLY PUT HER ARMS TIGHT 
AROUND GRANDFATHER’S NECK 
AND AWAY THEY RAN TOWARDS 
THE HOUSE 






JOLLY POLLY’S PRESENT ii 

“catch that naughty child quick, and 
bring her into the house!” 

“Aw-ee-aw! aw-ee-aw!” brayed Tort- 
sie, opening his big mouth wide. “The 
rain doesn’t hurt me; how can it hurt 
Jolly Polly?” 

“I want to see my present, Grandpa,” 
cried Jolly Polly, the moment they were 
in the house. “I’ve had a nice bath 
in the rain. Mamma, and Grandpa has 
brought me a present.” 

Grandpa pulled down all the shades in 
Jolly Polly’s nursery, and made the room 
as dark as nighty and as soon as Jolly Polly 
was dressed the fun began. 

“Pictures on the wall!” shouted Grand- 
father. “Pictures on the wall for Jolly 
Polly to enjoy on a rainy day!” 

And beautiful pictures came on the wall 
for dear Jolly Polly. 

There were pictures of little children. 


12 JOLLY POLLY’S PRESENT 

and pictures of animals, and pictures of 
birds, and pictures of flowers, and trees, — 
all kinds of beautiful pictures came out on 
the nursery wall. 

“Oh, oh!” screamed Jolly Polly, laugh- 
ing and clapping her hands. “I want all 
the children I know to come quick and see 
my pictures!” 

Jolly Polly’s mother ran to the tele- 
phone. “Yes, yes,” she laughed; “I’ll 
call all the children we know to come under 
their little umbrellas and see Jolly Polly’s 
pictures, and stay to breakfast!” 

And in a very few minutes six little girls 
and three little boys came running through 
the rain to see Jolly Polly’s pictures, and 
stay to breakfast. 

And Grandfather Gordon stood by the 
magic lantern that made the pictures and 
shouted : 

“Hurrah! six little girls and three little 


JOLLY POLLY’S PRESENT 13 

boys have come to see Jolly Polly’s pictures 
and stay to breakfast!” 

Oh, how the children all laughed and 
clapped their hands, as the beautiful pic- 
tures came out on the wall. And our 
dear Jolly Polly laughed loudest of all. 

Don’t you wish you could have been 
there to see Jolly Polly’s pictures.^ Don’t 
you wish you could have been there and 
stayed to breakfast.^ 


DAN AND DINA 


J OLLY POLLY had two little dogs: 
one was Dan, the other was Dina. 
They were little twin bloodhounds 
with very wise eyes and very long 
ears. 

Oh, how Jolly Polly loved Dan and 
Dina, and, oh, how Dan and Dina loved 
Jolly Polly! 

Tom was the man who worked in the 
garden. One morning Tom said: 

“Jolly Polly, I will make you a little 
contraption, and you can lead Dan and 
Dina wherever you go.” 

(Tom was a very funny man; he always 
said funny words to make Jolly Polly 
laugh.) 

And Tom took a short strap and fas- 
tened it to Dan’s little collar and to Dina’s 
little collar, and then in the middle he fas- 


DAN AND DINA 15 

tened a long strap for Jolly Polly to lead 
her dogs by. And Jolly Polly said: 

“Thank you, Tom, for making me such 
a nice contraption for Dan and Dinaj now 
I can lead them wherever I go.” 

And Tom laughed and said: 

“Well, good-bye, Polly-Wolly. Where 
are you going to-day.^” 

And Jolly Polly opened her eyes wide 
and said: 

“I am going to the woods, Tom, and 
perhaps I shall never come back! There 
are bears in my woods, Tom, and robbers, 
and snakes, and toads!” 

“Whew! ” whistled Tom. “It is lucky 
you are going to take Dan and Dina with 
you! The robbers and the snakes and the 
toads will run when they see your big 
dogs! ” 

“Don’t you be afraid, Dan and Dina,” 
whispered Jolly Polly, laughing as she ran 


1 6 DAN AND DINA 

away across the yard. “I was just fooling 
old T om. My woods are one big tree down 
side of the road. There are no bears or 
robbers or anything in my beautiful woods 
to hurt little puppy dogs or little girls, 
either.” 

“Bow-wow-wow!” said Dan, and “Bow- 
wow-wow!” said Miss Dina. They knew 
they were off for a walk with their little 
mistress, and they were not afraid. 

When Jolly Polly came to the big tree 
on the side of the road she sat down in 
the grass. 

“You see there are no robbers or any- 
thing to hurt us, Dan and Dina,” laughed 
Jolly Polly. “There are only buttercups 
and daisies and birdies in my beautiful 
woods. I tried to scare old Tom, and 
I scared my own self a little weenty- 
teenty ! ” 

A little boy came galloping down the 


DAN AND DINA 17 

road on a Shetland pony. When the 
little boy saw Jolly Polly sitting beside the 
road with Dan and Dina, he stopped his 
pony. 

“Hello!” said the boy. 

“Hello!” said Jolly Polly. “I don’t 
know who you are, little boy. I never saw 
you before, little boy.” 

“I am a new boy just come to the 
country to spend the summer,” answered 
the little fellow. “I’ll let you ride on my 
pony if you’ll let me hold your puppy 
dogs by that strap.” 

“Oh!” cried Jolly Polly, springing to 
her feet. “I never rode on a Shetland 
pony. You may hold Dan and Dina just 
as long as you please.” 

“You won’t dare ride very fast, I sup- 
pose,” laughed the little boy, as he helped 
Jolly Polly get on the pony. 

“I dare ride as fast 2^ you dare ride,” 


i8 


DAN AND DINA 


answered Jolly Polly, laughing, and away 
down the road she went at a gallop. 

“Don’t go too far,” called the little 
boy. “Come back in just a minute.” 

“I ’m a little robber!” called Jolly Polly. 
“I’m a wicked little robber that lives in 
the woods!” 

“Good-bye, robber! good-bye, rob- 
ber!” shouted the little boy, laughing. 
“If you steal my pony. I’ll steal Dan 
and Dina!” 

Jolly Polly rode as far as the corner and 
then she came back. 

“Now get off quick!” said the little 
boy. “I’m going to give Dan and Dina 
a ride.” 

Jolly Polly slipped to the ground. The 
little boy took Dan under one arm and 
Dina under the other and rode away down 
the road. 

“Bow-wow-wow! ” said Dan, and “Bow- 



“I’LL LET YOU RIDE ON MY PONY 
IF YOU’LL LET ME HOLD YOUR 
PUPPY DOGS BY THAT STRAP” 









DAN AND DINA 19 

wow-wow!” said Miss Dina. They did 
not want to leave their Jolly Polly. 

“I’m a little robber!” shouted the 
little boy. “I’m a truly robber. Never 
again will you see your puppy dogs, little 
girl ! ” 

Jolly Polly laughed and clapped her 
hands. 

“Come back quick, robber!” she 
laughed. “Come back as soon as you 
get to the corner.” 

But the little boy did not come back 
when he reached the corner. He rode 
away past the corner and over the hill out 
of sight. 

Jolly Polly sat alone under the tree for 
a very long time, and the little boy did 
not come back with Dan and Dina. 

“Tom!” cried Jolly Polly at last. 
“Tom, a bad, wicked robber came to my 
wood and stole away Dan and Dina ! ” 


20 DAN AND DINA 

“Whew!” whistled Tom at work in 
the yard. “Jolly Polly sounds as if she 
really were frightened. I must go and see 
what is the matter.” 

Tom threw down his hoe and ran down 
the road to Jolly Polly’s tree. 

Jolly Polly sat in the grass with her 
mouth open, crying as hard as she could. 

“A boy, a bad, naughty boy stole Dan 
and Dina, and rode away down the road!” 
she screamed. 

Tom ran on down the road and over 
the hill to look for the naughty boy. The 
little boy had just come back. 

Of course the little boy was coming 
back just as soon as he had frightened 
Jolly Polly. (Why do little boys love to 
frighten little girls .^) 

“What made you take Jolly Polly’s 
puppy dogs away from her } ” asked old 
Tom, frowning. 


DAN AND DINA 


21 


“Did I scare Jolly Polly?” said the 
little boy, laughing. “Jolly Polly played 
robber and stole my pony; then I played 
robber and stole her puppy dogs and scared 
her good ! ” 

“Don’t you scare Jolly Polly again,” 
said Tom, frowning. “Don’t you ever 
scare Jolly Polly again ! ” 


THE FUNNY-DAY STORY 


NE morning Jolly Polly hopped on 



one foot clear out into the yard 


where Abbie Maud was hanging 
up clothes. 

Abbie Maud was the colored girl 
who washed Jolly Polly’s little dresses 
and hung them out in the sunshine to 
dry. 

‘^Oh, I feel so funny! Oh, I feel so 
funny!” sang Jolly Polly, as she hopped 
on one foot. 

“I feel funny too. Sugar Plum,” laughed 
Abbie Maud. “Ha! ha! ha! I declare I 
feel funny myself!” 

Jolly Polly liked Abbie Maud, because 
she always laughed and because she called 
her “Sugar Plum.” 

“Tell me something funny to play, 
Abbie Maud,” coaxed Jolly Polly. 


THE FUNNY-DAY STORY 23 

“Tell me the very funniest thing you 
can think for a little girl to play.” 

Abbie Maud hung Jolly Polly’s little 
blue dress on the clothesline, and then 
she hung Jolly Polly’s pink dress on the 
clothesline. 

“Let me think, what is the very fun- 
niest thing Jolly Polly can play this warm, 
summer day,” laughed Abbie Maud. 

Jolly Polly hopped on one foot and 
waited for Abbie Maud to think. 

“A Circus Parade sounds funny to 
me,” said Abbie Maud suddenly. “Yes, 
sir-ee bob ! Get all the children you 
know. Jolly Polly, and have a Circus 
Parade clear down to the little lake in 
the woods.” 

Jolly Polly hopped up and down on 
one foot and clapped her hands. 

“Will you show us how to play Cir- 
cus Parade, Abbie Maud.^^” she coaxed. 


24 THE FUNNY-DAY STORY 

“Will you go with the children to the 
little lake in the woods?” 

“Yes, sir-ee bob! ” laughed Abbie Maud. 
“I’ll go with you this very afternoon, and 
we’ll take a picnic supper. Hurrah!” 

Abbie Maud laughed as loud as she 
could, and Jolly Polly laughed as loud as 
she could. (They both felt so funny, you 
know.) And that afternoon the children 
came over to Jolly Polly’s house all ready 
for a Circus Parade. Abbie Maud told 
them how to play it. 

Jolly Polly rode first on Tortsie. (Tort- 
sie was Jolly Polly’s little mouse-colored 
donkey.) 

Abbie Maud rode next on a bob-tailed 
nag with a crooked ear. 

Then came Roggie and Reggie Cham- 
berlin in their goat-cart. 

Then came Benjie Lawrence, riding his 
beautiful Shetland pony. 


THE FUNNY-DAY STORY 25 

Then came little Tom Titcomb, riding 
a stick and carrying his pet tame monkey. 

Then came Helena and Alice West in 
their little basket wagon. 

Then came Floribel Brown, with her 
six large dolls, in a dogcart. (Floribel had 
two handsome Newfoundland dogs.) 

Then came the three little Carleton girls 
on an old white horse. 

Jolly Polly’s mother stood in the door- 
way and laughed and clapped her hands. 

“Oh, what a splendid Circus Parade!” 
she cried. “Oh, I wish I were going, too! ” 

And Jolly Polly said: “Mamma, 
couldn’t you ride on our old red cow 
and come, too.^” 

Jolly Polly^s mother laughed and said: 
“Oh, yes, yes! I will ride on our old red 
cow, and I’ll go, too!” 

The old red cow was glad to go with 
the Circus Parade. She let Jolly Polly’s 


26 THE FUNNY-DAY STORY 

mother catch her and get on her back, 
and away they went to the little lake in 
the woods. 

And oh, how the children did laugh; 
and oh, how the children did scream! 
And oh, what a good time they had at 
the Circus Parade! 

And when they came to the little lake 
in the woods Abbie Maud said: 

“Now, all you circus children may go 
in wading in the little lake, and I will get 
our picnic supper.” 

Jolly Polly’s mother said: “I am going 
in wading, too, Abbie Maud. I am a little 
girl, too, this funny day.” 

And Abbie Maud laughed and said: 

“Sugar Plum, Sugar Plum, 

No bigger than my thumb.” 

And all the children went in wading, 
and the circus animals stood up under the 



THE LITTLE MONKEY WENT IN 
WADING, TOO 





THE FUNNY-DAY STORY 27 

trees and watched them, except little Tom 
Titcomb’s monkey. The little monkey 
went in wading, too. 

Oh, how the children did laugh; and 
oh, how the children did scream ! And oh, 
what fun they all had when they went in 
wading! 

And then came the picnic supper under 
a big oak tree. They had fried chicken, 
and bread and butter, and caramel cake, 
and pink ice-cream. 

When it was almost dark, the big round 
moon came up over the lake and found 
the children eating their supper. 

“Hello, Mr. Moon!” laughed Abbie 
Maud. “I thought you would show your 
sweet face pretty soon. I want you to light 
this party home.” 

And the Circus Parade went home, and 
the big, round moon went with them all 
the way. 


28 THE FUNNY-DAY STORY 

Jolly Polly rode first on Tortsie; then 
came Abbie Maud on a bob-tailed nag with 
a crooked ear. 

Then came Roggie and Reggie Cham- 
berlin in their little goat-cart. 

Then Benjie Lawrence, riding his beau- 
tiful Shetland pony. 

Then came little Tom Titcomb, riding 
a stick and carrying his pet tame monkey. 

Then came Helena and Alice West in 
their little basket wagon. 

Then Floribel Brown and her six big 
dolls in her dog-cart. 

Then came the three little Carleton 
girls on the old white horse. 

And then came Jolly Polly’s mother on 
the old red cow. Hurrah! 

Oh, how the children did laugh as they 
rode home in the Circus Parade ! And the 
big, round moon seemed to be laughing, 
too. 


BABY JANET 

J OLLY POLLY had a new red story- 
book. Her father brought it to her 
when he came home from the city. 
“Here is a story all about Janet and 
little Virginia,” her father said, smiling. 
“It is a funny, funny story, Jolly Polly, 
and will make you laugh.” 

Everyone seemed too busy to read to 
Jolly Polly all that day. 

“Run away, run away,” said Mother. 
“Run out in the sunshine and play. Jolly 
Polly. Father will read you a story to- 
night when you go to bed.” 

Jolly Polly stayed out in the yard all 
day and played all day. She carried her 
new red story-book under her arm and 
wondered about Janet and little Virginia. 

“I can hardly wait until night-time 
comes,” Jolly Polly said, hugging her 


BABY JANET 


30 

book close under her arm. can 

hardly wait to hear about Janet and little 
Virginia.” 

The minute it was dark that night Jolly 
Polly coaxed her nurse to undress her and 
put her to bed. 

Jolly Polly’s father came laughing into 
the room. “Ha! ha!” he laughed. “You 
did n’t have to be coaxed to go to bed this 
time, did you, Jolly Polly 

Jolly Polly held out her new book. 

“I was good all day,” she answered, 
“and now you must read me all the book 
about Janet and little Virginia.” 

“We have time for only one story to- 
night, Jolly Polly,” said Father; “you 
must go to sleep. For to-morrow, oh, 
to-morrow, there is going to be a glad 
surprise! ” 

Jolly Polly had had so many glad sur- 
prises in her little life that she did not 


BABY JANET 31 

wish to talk about to-morrow. She wanted 
to hear a story about Janet and little Vir- 
ginia and could think of nothing else. 

Jolly Polly’s father took the new red 
story-book, and began to read: 

“‘Once upon a time there were two 
dear little sisters, named Janet and little 
Virginia. Janet was three years old and 
Virginia was five years old, and they slept 
in the very same bed.’ — ” 

“Oh, oh!” cried Jolly Polly. “I wish 
I had a little sister to sleep in my very 
same bed!” 

Jolly Polly’s father laughed and went 
on with the story. 

“‘One night Janet and little Virginia 
were sound asleep in their bed, when all at 
once Miss Janet woke up. 

““‘I want a jink!” screamed Janet. 
“I want a jink! I want a jink of water!” 

‘“Little Virginia woke up and jumped 


32 BABY JANET 

out of bed and got her little sister a nice, 
cool drink of water. 

“‘Then Janet and Virginia went to 
sleep again in their little bed. All at once 
Janet woke up again. 

““‘I want a jink!” she screamed. 
“I want a jink just like that nudder 
jink!”’” 

Jolly Polly laughed and kicked the bed- 
clothes up over her head. “Wasn’t Janet 
thirsty?” she said. “It makes me want a 
drink my own little self” 

Father went into the bathroom and got 
Jolly Polly a drink of water and then went 
on with the story. 

“‘Little Virginia did not like to wake 
up in the night. 

“‘“Oh, Janet,” she said, “all night you 
want jinks and nudder jinks till I can’t 
sleep at all!””’ 

“If I had a little sister, I would be 


BABY JANET 33 

good to her and get her all the drinks she 
wanted,” said Jolly Polly. 

“‘Virginia got out of bed and ran and 
got her sister another drink of water,’” 
father read from the story. “‘In a very 
few minutes Janet woke up again. 

““‘Nudder jinks, nudder jinks!” she 
screamed.’ ” 

Jolly Polly laughed, and laughed, and 
laughed, and kicked the bedclothes up 
over her head. 

“It wasn’t funny to little Virginia,” 
said father. “‘Little Virginia sat up in 
bed and began to cry. 

“ ‘ “Mother, Mother,” she called, “Janet 
has turned into a little fish. She wants jinks 
and jinks all night long.” 

‘“Janet’s and Virginia’s mother came 
laughing into the room. 

““‘Oh, Janet!” she said. “Have you 
really turned into a little fish.^” 


34 baby JANET 

“‘“No, no,” cried Janet. “I am your 
little girl! I want just one more jinks, and 
Virginia is cross to me!” 

“‘Janet’s mother took her up in her 
arms. “Go to sleep, little Virginia,” she 
said. “I will take this ‘Nudder Jinks’ 
into bed with me.” 

“‘There was nothing that Janet liked 
better than to sleep with her mother. 
She cuddled close in her mother’s arms 
and kissed her many times. 

““‘I am not a fish, am I, Mother.^” 
she said. 

““‘No, no,” answered Mother. “You 
are my own baby girl.” 

“‘Janet slept all night in her mother’s 
arms and did not wake up again to ask 
for a drink of water.”’ 

Jolly Polly laughed and clapped her 
hands. 

“I like that story, father,” she said. 


BABY JANET 35 

“It seems as if Janet and Virginia were 
real little girls that I could play with.” 

“Real little girls are often thirsty at 
night,” said Father. “And all little girls 
love to sleep with their mothers.” 

Jolly Polly sat up in bed. “I want to 
sleep with my mother to-night,” she said. 
“I want to cuddle close in her arms and 
kiss her many times.” 

“No, no,” replied Father. “You 
mustn’t disturb Mother to-night, Jolly 
Polly. Lie down, little girl, and go to 
sleep. To-morrow, oh, to-morrow you 
will have a glad surprise!” 

Jolly Polly wondered until she fell 
asleep what the glad surprise would 
be. 

The next morning, early. Jolly Polly 
jumped out of bed and ran into her 
mother’s room. 

“Hush!” said Father. 


36 BABY JANET 

“ Hush ! ” said the nurse. “ Don’t make 
a noise.” 

Jolly Polly’s mother held out her hand 
and smiled. 

“Come here, Jolly Polly,” she said. 
“Come here, darling, and see your baby 
sister.” 

Jolly Polly ran to the side of her 
mother’s bed, and there, close in her 
mother’s arms, was a beautiful baby 
sister. 

“Oh, Mother,” whispered Jolly Polly, 
“what is her little name.^” 

“Her little name is Janet, darling,” 
answered Mother, smiling. 

“Oh, just like the story-book sister!” 
cried Jolly Polly, clapping her hands. 
“When my Janet sister gets big enough 
to sleep with me, I will get her ‘jinks and 
jinks and nudder jinks’ and never get cross 
at all.” 




JOLLY POLLY RAN TO THE SIDE OF 
HER MOTHER’S BED, AND THERE. 
CLOSE IN HER MOTHER’S ARMS. WAS 
A BEAUTIFUL BABY SISTER 








HAHA, GIGGLE, AND FUN 


O NE morning Jolly Polly took her 
three dolls, Haha, Giggle, and 
Fun, out into the garden to play. 
Haha, Giggle, and Fun were Japanese 
dolls with queer black eyes, and gay 
dresses all covered with bird and butterfly 
wings. 

Jolly Polly’s Grandfather Gordon gave 
her the dolls and named them, too. 
Wasn’t he a funny grandpa to give Jolly 
Polly’s dolls such funny names 

Jolly Polly had a large new doll-carriage. 
Haha, Giggle, and Fun needed a large 
carriage, because they were very large 
dolls. 

Tortsie, Jolly Polly’s little mouse- 
colored donkey, stood by the fence. 
When he saw Jolly Polly coming down 
through the flowers with her three dolls in 


38 HAH A. GIGGLE. AND FUN 

their doll-carriage, he opened his mouth 
and brayed. 

“Aw-ee! Aw-ee!” said Tortsie, which 
meant, “I am glad to see you, Haha, 
Giggle, and Fun.” 

“We are glad to see you, too, Tortsie,” 
answered Jolly Polly, laughing. 

Jolly Polly always pretended she knew 
what Tortsie said when he brayed. 

Jolly Polly left her doll-carriage stand- 
ing in the garden walk, and ran over to 
the fence and patted Tortsie’s dear fuzzy 
face. 

“We will let you play with us this 
morning, Tortsie,” said Jolly Polly. “I 
will make you a wreath of flowers. You 
shall wear it around your neck. I will 
make me a wreath, too, and Haha, Giggle, 
and Fun may each have a bouquet. Then 
we will go riding down the road in my 
basket wagon to show ourselves.'''' 


HAH A. GIGGLE, AND FUN 39 

Jolly Polly had a long row of sweet 
peas in her garden. She made Tortsie a 
garland of pink and white sweet peas, and 
wound it around his neck. She made a 
wreath of blue forget-me-nots for her own 
little head. Haha, Giggle, and Fun each 
had a bunch of violets pinned on her dress, 
and then they were ready to go on their 
drive. 

T om, the man who worked in the yard, 
hitched Tortsie up to the basket wagon, 
and Jolly Polly climbed in with Haha, 
Giggle, and Fun. 

Just as they were ready to start, Dan 
and Dina, Jolly Polly’s little dogs, came 
running up, barking at the top of their 
little voices. 

“Bow-wow-wow!” said Dan, and “Bow- 
wow-wow! ” said Dina, which meant: “We 
want to go, too. Jolly Polly. Oh, take us 
to ride with you in your basket wagon!” 


40 HAHA, GIGGLE, AND FUN 

“Whew! Whew!” whistled Jolly Polly, 
and into the basket wagon jumped Dan 
and Dina, wagging their little tails. 

“Where are you all going, dressed 
up in flowers so fine.^*” asked Tom, 
laughing. 

“We are going to ride down the road, 
and show ourselves to the other chil- 
dren,” answered Jolly Polly, tossing her 
curls. 

“Well, I never saw any one look 
happier than Haha, Giggle, and Fun,” 
said Tom. “My, but their eyes do 
shine!” 

“Bow-wow! Bow-wow!” said Dan and 
Dina, which meant: “We’re happy, too. 
Jolly Pollyj we’re happy, too!” 

And away down the beautiful road in 
her basket wagon drove Jolly Polly as fast 
as Tortsie could trot. 

“We must all sing loud, so the other 


HAH A, GIGGLE, AND FUN 41 

children will hear us and come running 
out and see us all trimmed with flowers. 

‘Oh, glad the day, 

Come out and see! 

Come out and take a ride with me!”’ 

sang Jolly Polly at the top of her little 
voice. 

And out of the houses the children 
came running. All the little boys and 
girls who lived on the beautiful road 
came running out of their houses to see 
Jolly Polly. 

“Oh! Oh!” they cried. “How nice 
you look. Jolly Polly. How splendid you 
all look trimmed up with flowers!” 

And into the basket wagon the children 
climbed, until the wagon was full. The 
rest ran behind, jumping and screaming 
and laughing. 

Not very far down the road was the 


42 HAHA, GIGGLE, AND FUN 

little village, and the store where they sold 
ice-cream ! 

The ice-cream man stood in the door- 
way of his store with his little boy. When 
he saw Jolly Polly and Tortsie all trimmed 
with flowers, he laughed and clapped his 
hands. 

“Hurrah!” he shouted. “Hurrah for 
Jolly Polly and her little friends!” 

And then, oh, glad surprise! 

“Children,” he said, “this is my little 
boy’s birthday. Come into my store, and 
I’ll treat you all to pink ice-cream!” 

Jolly Polly and her little friends went 
into the store and each had a dish of pink 
ice-cream. 

“Where is your little sister. Jolly 
Polly asked the ice-cream man, laugh- 
ing. “Why didn’t you bring your little 
sister with you to-day.^” 

“Why, Janet is a baby!” answered Jolly 


HAHA, GIGGLE, AND FUN 43 

Polly. “She only came to the world a 
month ago, but she can laugh and kick 
up her heels already.” 

“Whew!” whistled the ice-cream man. 
“My stars, but she must be a smart 
baby!” 

When Jolly Polly and the other children 
were ready to start for home, one little boy 
began to cry. 

“It is my birthday, and I want to ride 
with Jolly Polly and Dan and Dina and 
those funny Japanese dolls!” 

“Oh, yes, Alfred,” answered Jolly 
Polly, “you may come with us and drive 
Tortsie, because it is your birthday, and 
your father gave us all pink ice-cream^'* 

Oh, how happy little Alfred looked as 
he climbed into the basket wagon and took 
the reins. 

“Get up, Tortsie,” he cried, and away 
they went down the road. The basket 


44 HAHA. GIGGLE. AND FUN 

wagon was full of children and the rest 
ran behind. 

“Oh! Oh!” cried Jolly Polly. “There 
is my white goat in the road! Tortsie 
always acts naughty when he sees my white 
goat!” 

Tortsie stopped suddenly and stood on 
his small hind legs, and out tumbled the 
children into the road. Out tumbled Haha 
and Giggle and Fun. Out tumbled Dan 
and Dina. 

“I am not hurt. Are you hurt.^” asked 
Jolly Polly, sitting up and laughing. 

Not one little child was hurt. 

Dan and Dina were greatly excited. 

“Bow-wow-wow!” they yelped. And 
away they ran after the white goat, and 
chased him into a field. 

Then the children climbed into the cart 
again. Tortsie was a good little donkey, 
and took them safely home. 


THE BIRD’S NEST 


B aby JANET lay in her little crib, 
and Jolly Polly knelt on the floor 
beside her. 

“I will tell you a secret, Janet. In a 
bush out behind our barn a little bird has 
a nest, and in the nest are four little 
birds.” 

“Goo-goo!” said Janet, and laughed 
and kicked up her heels. 

“If you will never tell, even when you 
get to be a big lady, I will take you out 
to see the little birds,” whispered Jolly 
Polly. 

Mother was upstairs. She thought Janet 
was asleep. Nurse was out in the kitchen, 
talking to the cook. 

“Da-da!” cried Janet, and held out her 
little hands. She did not understand what 
Jolly Polly said, but, oh, she was glad, glad 


THE BIRD’S NEST 


46 

when Jolly Polly took her up in her arms 
and ran out into the yard. 

Janet was a large haby, and Jolly Polly 
was a very little girl. 

“Oh! Oh!” said Jolly Polly, stopping 
to rest. “How heavy you are, Janet! I 
believe you are almost as big as I am!” 

As Jolly Polly came around the corner 
of the barn, a bird flew out of a bush and 
fluttered over their heads. 

“Cheep! Cheep!” said the bird. 
“Cheep! Cheep!” 

“Hush ! ” whispered Jolly Polly. “ Don’t 
even say ‘Da-da,’ Janet! That is the dear 
mother bird. She always flies away when- 
ever I come to see her little birds.” 

Jolly Polly went on tiptoe softly up 
to the bush and held Janet close to the 
nest. 

“Look quick, Janet, because you are 
so heavy!” whispered Jolly Polly. 



“LOOK QUICK, JANET. BECAUSE YOU 
ARE SO HEAVY!” WHISPERED 
JOLLY POLLY 








THE BIRD’S NEST 47 

“Goo-goo-goo!” crowed Janet, gur- 
gling and laughing aloud. 

She was not old enough to notice the 
baby birds, but Jolly Polly thought she 
saw them. 

“Four little birds for you and for me,” 
whispered Jolly Polly. 

All at once Jolly Polly began to cry. 
She sat down in the grass under the big 
poplar tree, and cried as if her little heart 
would break. 

Baby Janet opened her eyes wide and 
began to cry, too. 

A little boy came around the corner of 
the barn. He had his hands in his pockets 
and was whistling. 

“Hello!” he said. “What makes you 
cry. Jolly Polly, and what makes your 
baby cry.^*” 

“I cry because I am naughty!” sobbed 
Jolly Polly. “I took Janet out of her 


48 THE BIRD’S NEST 

crib, and now she is too heavy to carry 
back to the house; and my mother will 
punish me!” 

“Will your mother whip you?” asked 
the little boy. 

“No, she will send me to bed in the 
daylight!” sobbed Jolly Polly. 

“Over there is a little haystack,” said 
the boy. “Put the baby down and let us 
play. I came to play with you and have 
some fun.” 

He was a dear little boy, named Carroll, 
and Jolly Polly loved him. 

Jolly Polly thought it would be all right 
to put Janet down in the hay for a few 
minutes so that she could play. Janet 
loved the soft, sweet hay and began to 
laugh and crow. 

“Baby is all right! ” cried Carroll, jump- 
ing and clapping his hands. “Come on. 
Jolly Polly! Let us run and have fun.” 


THE BIRD’S NEST 49 

Jolly Polly and the little boy ran around 
the haystack and stopped and said “Boo- 
boo!” to Janet, and Janet laughed and 
waved her little hands. 

Jolly Polly showed the little boy the 
bird’s nest. They stood on tiptoe to- 
gether and counted the little birds, “one, 
two, three, four.” 

Carroll was a good boy. He did not 
frighten the little birds. 

“Come, Jolly Polly,” whispered Carroll 
after a minute, “let us run down to the 
brook and wade, because I have to go 
home in one hour^"* 

Jolly Polly forgot dear baby Janet lying 
in the haystack. “Come on, come on!” 
she cried, dancing and laughing. “Let 
us run down to the little brook and 
wade!” 

The brook was in the green meadow 
not far away. Jolly Polly and Carroll 


50 THE BIRD’S NEST 

pulled off their shoes and stockings and 
waded into the brook. Three dear little 
fishes swam up and nibbled their toes. 

“Oh! Oh!” screamed Jolly Polly, and 
laughed as loud as she could. 

“Oh! Oh!” screamed Carroll, and 
laughed even louder than Jolly Polly. 

Jolly Polly’s mother came down the 
stairs and looked into Janet’s crib to see if 
her baby were still asleep. 

“Where is my baby.^” she cried. 
“Nurse, where is the baby?” 

Nurse came running in from the kitchen. 

“Where is the baby?” cried Nurse. 
“Some one has stolen the baby out of her 
crib!” 

Jolly Polly’s mother ran out into the 
yard. 

“Jolly Polly,” she called. “Jolly Polly, 
come quick and help me find baby. Some 
one has taken Janet out of her crib!” 


THE BIRD’S NEST 51 

Jolly Polly heard her mother calling to 
her, “Some one has taken Janet out of 
her crib!” 

Oh, Jolly Polly was frightened! She 
remembered that she had left poor little 
Janet alone on the haystack. Jolly Polly 
opened her mouth wide and cried as loud 
as she could. 

“My mother will put me to bed in the 
daylight because Tm so naughty!” 

Carroll began to cry, too. They took 
hold of hands and started up towards the 
house, crying as loud as they could. 

Jolly Polly’s mother caught her in her 
arms and kissed her. “Oh, Jolly Polly,” 
she said, “do you know where baby Janet 
is.?” 

“She is in the haystack!” sobbed Jolly 
Polly. “I took her to see my little birds 
and left her in the haystack so I could play 
with Carroll!” 


52 THE BIRD’S NEST 

Jolly Polly’s mother ran to the hay- 
stack, and there was Janet safe, and sound 
asleep! 

“Please, please, don’t put Jolly Polly to 
bed in the daylight!” coaxed Carroll. “I 
told her to put the baby there, and I can 
only stay the rest of one hour to play.” 

Jolly Polly’s mother was so glad that 
her baby was not lost or stolen that she 
forgave Jolly Polly. 

“Don’t ever take your baby sister out 
of her crib again,” she said. “I will for- 
give you this time. Jolly Polly.” 

“I am sorry I was naughty,” said Jolly 
Polly, “and I want a piece of bread to feed 
the little fishes.” 

Jolly Polly’s mother gave Jolly Polly and 
Carroll each a slice of bread and butter 
and sugar for themselves, and she gave 
them a slice of bread to feed the little 
fishes. 


THE BIRD’S NEST 53 

Wasn’t she a dear, good mother to for- 
give Jolly Polly and not put her to bed 
in the daylight? And wasn’t she a kind 
mother to give Jolly Polly the bread and 
butter and sugar for herself and Carroll 
and a slice of bread for the little fishes? 


JOLLY POLLY SINGS 
PRAISES 


J OLLY POLLY went skipping, and 
dancing, and singing down, the garden 
walk between the tall rows of holly- 
hocks. Behind Jolly Polly walked a fat 
white duck, a curly dog, and a peacock. 

The fat white duck walked so close to 
Jolly Polly’s heels that she kicked him 
whenever she skipped. The fat white 
duck loved Jolly Polly so dearly that he did 
not care if she did kick him. Jolly Polly 
was singing a song that she made herself 
These were the words of her song: 

<‘Oh,joy, sing praises, oh, joy, sing praises! 

I know something too good to be true. 

Oh, Mutty, and Lute, and J ud, sing praises, 
I know something too good to be true.” 

Lute, the peacock, spread his gorgeous 



JOLLY POLLY WENT SKIPPING, AND 
DANCING, AND SINGING DOWN THE 
GARDEN WALK BETWEEN THE TALL 
ROWS OF HOLLYHOCKS 


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JOLLY POLLY SINGS PRAISES 55 

tail wide. Mutty, the curly dog, barked. 
Jud, the fat white duck, squawked and 
flapped his wings. They all knew that 
something too good to be true was mak- 
ing their little mistress happy. Over and 
over Jolly Polly sang her song, dancing 
and skipping up and down between the 
rows of blooming hollyhocks. 

When quite out of breath with singing 
and dancing. Jolly Polly sat down on the 
ground between the hollyhocks. Lute, the 
peacock, and Jud, the fat white duck, and 
Mutty, the curly dog, came as close to her 
as possible. 

Listen to me,” Jolly Polly said, shak- 
ing her finger at Lute, the peacock, “I 
didn’t hear you sing a word. It is not 
enough just to spread your gorgeous tail 
and look proud when I am so glad. 

“Everybody laughs and says, ‘A little 
girl with a pet tame peacock, a fat white 


56 JOLLY POLLY SINGS PRAISES 

duck, and a curly dog that follow her! ’ If 
you all love me so very much, why don’t 
you sing praises about it?” 

The peacock spread his gorgeous tail 
wider than he had ever spread it before 
and strutted up and down the walk. The 
curly dog caught hold of the fat white 
duck’s tail with his teeth and, drawing her 
quickly away, jumped into Jolly Polly’s 
lap. Oh, what a fuss the fat white duck 
made! She squawked and fell over in the 
path as though she were hurt. 

“You are not hurt,” said Jolly Polly 
laughing. . “You are only angry because 
Mutty jumped into my lap. If you were 
dogs you would love me so much that 
you would all get into my lap.” 

Jolly Polly tumbled Mutty out of her 
lap, and lay down on her back, and kicked 
up her heels. 

“Oh, joy, sing praises,” she sang. 


JOLLY POLLY SINGS PRAISES 57 

“Oh, joy for the something too good to 
be true!” 

Down the path between the hollyhocks, 
Toodles, the kitten, came running. Every 
one knew that Jolly Polly loved Toodles 
more than all her pets. Toodles was a 
beautiful, fluffy, white angora kitten that 
any child would love. 

“Mutty! Mutty, come right back!” 
screamed Jolly Polly, sitting up. “Don’t 
you chase Toodles, dear little Toodles, or 
I’ll box your ears!” Mutty was off with 
a bound and a bark, after Toodles. Jolly 
Polly jumped up and was off with a bound 
after Mutty. The fat white duck wob- 
bled under the fence, and down the little 
hill to the brook. 

Jolly Polly caught Mutty, and boxed 
his ears till he yelped, and then she 
caught Toodles, and held her close in 
her arms and loved her. “I’ll tell you 


58 JOLLY POLLY SINGS PRAISES 

my secret, Toodles dear,” she whis- 
pered. “I’ll tell you the something, 
too good to be true, that makes me 
happy.” 

Toodles looked up into Jolly Polly’s 
face with soft eyes of love. “My grandma 
is coming to-day, and a little girl cousin I 
never did see, a little girl cousin named 
Jane,” said Jolly Polly. 

Just at that moment a whistle blew 
sharply. “There is the train coming 
now,” cried Jolly Polly. She dropped 
Toodles on the ground right in front of 
Mutty, and ran out of the garden. Mutty 
gave one sharp bark to frighten Toodles 
and ran after Jolly Polly. Tortsie, Jolly 
Polly’s little mouse-colored donkey, was 
feeding on the lawn. Jolly Polly caught 
Tortsie and jumped on his back. 

“Hurry, Tortsie, gallop and trot as fast 
as you can, the train is coming, and my 


JOLLY POLLY SINGS PRAISES 59 

grandma is coming, and my little cousin 
Jane!” 

Jolly Polly’s mother had told her that 
when the whistle blew at the crossing she 
must jump on Tortsie and ride to the 
station to meet her grandma and her little 
cousin Jane. 

“Chug, chug! Choo, choo!” said the 
train and stopped at the station. It was a 
little red station under a big oak tree. 

“Oh, dear choo-choo train,” said Jolly 
Polly, “you are bringing me a grandma 
and a dear little cousin Jane!” 

“Choo-choo!” said the train, and away 
it went with a great pulF of smoke, ringing 
its bell. 

Yes, there was grandma, and the little 
new cousin Jane waiting on the platform 
when Jolly Polly rode up on Tortsie. 

“Here I am, grandma,” called Jolly 
Polly. “Here I am to meet you.” 


6o JOLLY POLLY SINGS PRAISES 

Grandma kissed Jolly Polly. “Here 
is Jane,” she said and put Jane up on 
Tortsie’s back behind Jolly Polly. 

Jolly Polly looked at her little new 
cousin and smiled, and Jane smiled at her. 

“Hug me tight around my waist, 
Jane,” said Jolly Polly. “Tortsie always 
runs going home from the station.” 

“Oh, I don’t dare ride if the donkey 
runs,” screamed Jane. “Take me off, 
grandma! ” 

“All the children who live on the 
beautiful road ride Tortsie when he runs,” 
said Jolly Polly with a laugh. 

Just at that moment Tortsie thought 
about the green grass on the lawn at 
home. He kicked up his heels, and 
away he went down the road on a run. 
Jane hugged Jolly Polly around her waist, 
and bounced up and down, and screamed. 
Oh, how loud Jane could scream! When 


JOLLY POLLY SINGS PRAISES 6i 

Tortsie reached the big gate that led into 
the yard, he stopped. Jolly Polly looked 
around at Jane. “We didn’t fall off, did 
we.-^” she said. “Sometimes I tumble off 
when Tortsie goes as fast as that.” 

Jane’s eyes were very large and blue. 
“I like it,” she cried. “Let’s ride fast 
again on Tortsie.” 

Oh, how Jolly Polly laughed. 

“I love you, Jane,” she said, “you are 
not a scarey-cat, are you.^” 

The little girls slid down from Tortsie’s 
back and walked back to meet grandma. 
Jolly Polly’s pets followed them down the 
road. First came Lute, the peacock, 
spreading his gorgeous tail. Next came 
Jud, the fat white duck, with Mutty, bark- 
ing and biting her tail. Dear little Toodles, 
the white angora cat, came far behind, 
meaning for Jolly Polly to come and take 
her in her arms. 


62 JOLLY POLLY SINGS PRAISES 

“Oh, so many pets,” cried Jane, danc- 
ing backward. “How many pets you 
have. Jolly Polly!” 

“I have more than these,” said Jolly 
Polly. “I have a nice tame bluejay that 
lives in a cage, and six fan-tailed pigeons 
that live out at the barn with my little 
chickens and my baby calf, and I have 
six dolls, and a baby sister.” 

“I have n’t any pets or any baby sister,” 
answered Jane, dancing and gleefully clap- 
ping her hands over her head. “I have 
only one grandma, and one doll, and a 
little new cousin — that’sj/<?^. Jolly Polly.” 

Jolly Polly stopped in the wood and 
threw her arms around Jane and kissed 
her. 

“I like you to be here,” she said. 
“All my pets are your pets — all^ even 
dear little Toodles, is yours same as 
mine.” 



JOLLY POLLY RAN BACK AND 
PICKED UP TOODLES AND GAVE HER 
TO JANE 










JOLLY POLLY SINGS PRAISES 63 

Jolly Polly ran back and picked up 
Toodles and gave her to Jane. 

“See how nice she is to cuddle and love, 
Jane, and she is yours same as mine.” 

“Every summer, and all summer, when 
grandma comes here to stay, I am com- 
ing, too,” said Jane, hugging Toodles. 

“And my mother and father are part 
yours, and my baby sister, too,” said Jolly 
Polly. “All is ours together, ’cause we 
are little cousins and love each other.” 


WHEN JOLLY POLLY WAS 
NAUGHTY 


J OLLY POLLY hopped on one foot 
from the front door to the gate. Little 
Cousin Jane hopped on one foot from 
the front door to the gate. Jolly Polly 
laughed and clapped her hands. 

“Whatever I do, you must do, too,” 
she said. “We will have fun.” 

“Oh, Jolly Polly, you do everything 
so fast. I can’t do everything as fast as 
you do!” said Jane, laughing. 

Jolly Polly got down on her hands and 
feet and hopped like a toad out to the 
barn. Jane followed as fast as she could. 
Jane was short and fat and looked very 
funny. Mutty, the curly dog, barked and 
ran after them. Lute, the peacock, spread 
his beautiful tail and strutted after them, 
too. The fat white duck jumped into a 


JOLLY POLLY WAS NAUGHTY 65 

pan of water. “Quack! Quack!” she 
squawked, which meant, “I will not play 
such a foolish game.” 

Jolly Polly lay down in the grass and 
kicked her blue bloomer legs over her 
head. Jane lay down in the grass and 
kicked her blue bloomer legs over her 
head. The little girls laughed and laughed. 
They thought this was very funny. 

“Now say all the bad words you know, 
Jane,” Jolly Polly said, sitting up. 

“You say all the bad words you know 
first,” said Jane, giggling. 

“I don’t know any bad words,” an- 
swered Jolly Polly. “My mother will 
punish me if I say bad words. You pre- 
tend that you are a bad little girl and 
don’t know any better, and I will laugh 
at you.” 

“Mud!” said Jane and laughed and 
laughed. 


66 JOLLY POLLY WAS NAUGHTY 

“Why, that isn’t a bad word!” said 
Jolly Polly. 

“Yes, it is,” replied Jane, “Grandma 
says all bad words are just mud. I played 
say ^// bad words!” 

Jolly Polly got up and ran into the 
house as fast as she could. Jane followed 
her. Jolly Polly found her mother and 
threw her arms around her neck. 

“Oh, mother,” she cried. “I made 
Jane say all bad words!” 

“Why Jane!” said her mother. Then 
to Jolly Polly, “What did you make Jane 
say.!^ I want my child to be a little lady 
and love only good words and good 
thoughts!” 

Jolly Polly was crying so she could 
not answer for a moment, and then she 
whispered in her mother’s ear, “Mud! 
Grandma says that is all bad words 
in one!” 


JOLLY POLLY WAS NAUGHTY 67 

Jolly Polly’s mother turned away her 
face. Jolly Polly thought that she was 
crying because her little girl had been so 
naughty. Presently she said, “I think 
you and Jane need some one to help you 
play nice plays. How would you like to 
go and see the little boys who live down 
the road.^” 

Jolly Polly and Jane laughed and 
clapped their hands and danced about the 
room. 

“Oh, we should like to go,” they both 
said together. 

When Jolly Polly and Jane were dressed 
in nice clean dresses, they got on Tortsie, 
the donkey, and started away down the 
road to see the little boys. 

“What made you tell your mother that 
we played say bad words.^” asked Jane. 
“We were just a-funning.” 

“I tell my mother everything,” answered 


68 JOLLY POLLY WAS NAUGHTY 

Jolly Polly. “It makes me feel good to 
tell her, and now we are going to see Jack 
and Henry.” 

Jack and Henry were very glad to see 
the little girls. Their mother came out with 
a nice basket of lunch, and they had a pic- 
nic under a big apple tree in the yard. 

Jack and Henry could sing. After lunch 
their mother played on the violin and Jack 
and Henry stood up and sang two little 
songs. 

Jolly Polly was a little girl who could 
not sit still. She got up and began run- 
ning around the yard. 

“You can’t catch me!” she cried. 
“You can’t catch me!” 

Jack and Henry and Jane all ran after 
Jolly Polly, but they could not catch her. 

“Jolly Polly can fly, mother,” said Jack. 
“The reason we can not catch Jolly Polly, 
mother, is because she can y^/” 


JOLLY POLLY WAS NAUGHTY 69 

Oh, how fast Jolly Polly could run! It 
almost seemed as if her little feet did not 
touch the ground. 

Tortsie kicked up his heels and ran 
around the yard. 

“See how fast / can run,” he seemed 
to say. “I can run as fast as Jolly Polly!” 

Henry and Jack ran after Tortsie, but 
they could not catch him. Jolly Polly had 
a lump of sugar in her pocket. Jolly Polly 
held out her hand and Tortsie came to her 
at once. Tortsie knew that Jolly Polly 
almost always had a lump of sugar in her 
pocket. 

Jack and Henry’s mother played on the 
violin, and the children all danced on the 
wide, green lawn. Jolly Polly was thin 
and little. She looked like a fairy as she 
danced on the lawn. Jane was fat and 
short and looked very funny. 

Jack gave Jolly Polly a present to take 


70 JOLLY POLLY WAS NAUGHTY 

home with her. “Oh thank you!” said 
Jolly Polly. “My present looks like a 
lion, and it doesn't look like a lion!” 

“A lion does not have a green cloth 
skin and a red mane!” said Jack. “That 
is a Eoo-’Joo!'''' 

“I like my funny Boo-yoo!'''' exclaimed 
Jolly Polly, laughing. “When I get home, 
I will show my funny Boo-yoo to Baby 
Sister.” 

Henry gave Jane a present to take 
home. Her present was a little woolly 
lamb (toys they were, you know). 

“I like my present,” said Jane. “When 
I get home, I will show my present to Baby 
Sister.” 

When Jolly Polly and Jane reached 
home, the first thing they did was to find 
Baby Sister and show her their presents. 
Baby Sister was afraid of the funny 
Boo-yoo! 


JOLLY POLLY WAS NAUGHTY 71 

“I don’t like that funny Boo-yoof'* 
she said. “I am afraid of that old 
Boo-yoo^'" 

But when Baby Sister saw Jane’s 
present, she held out both of her little 
arms. 

“Oh, oh!” she cried. “A little woolly 
lamb! I want that little woolly lamb!” 

And Jane, dear, good little Jane, gave 
Baby Sister her little woolly lamb to keep. 


JOLLY POLLY’S DEAREST 
WISH 


O NE morning, when Jolly Polly was 
eating her breakfast, her mother 
said, “Oh, Jolly Polly, it is such 
a beautiful day. The sun is shining, and 
the little birds are singing, and every one 
is so happy. I believe if you go out and 
whisper your dearest wish to the poppies, 
your dearest wish will come true to-day.” 

“I know what my dearest wish is!” 
cried Jolly Polly. “I wish — ” 

“Hush!” said mother, laughing. “You 
must not tell your dearest wish to any one 
but the poppies.” 

“Can’t Jolly Polly tell me her dearest 
wish.^” coaxed Jane. “Please let Jolly 
Polly tell me her dearest wish!” 

“If the poppies nod their heads ‘Yes,’ 
Jolly Polly may tell you,” said mother. 


JOLLY POLLY’S DEAREST WISH 73 

Jolly Polly and Jane ran out into the 
garden where red, red, poppies were grow- 
ing. They walked up and down, and they 
skipped up and down between the poppy 
beds. 

Jolly Polly knelt and whispered her 
dearest wish to the poppies. “You must 
not tell any one, dear poppies,” she 
whispered. “If you will bob your heads 
‘Yes,’ I can tell little Jane, but no one 
else.” 

“The poppies don’t bob their heads!” 
pouted Jane. “There isn’t even a breeze 
to make them bob their heads!” 

Lute, the peacock, noticed that the little 
girls had forgotten to close the gate. Lute 
walked through the garden gate and down 
the walk between the red, red poppies. 

“Oh, Lute, shoo! shoo!” cried Jolly 
Polly. “You know very well you must 
never come into this garden! You will 


74 JOLLY POLLY’S DEAREST WISH 

spoil the beautiful flowers with your beau- 
tiful tail!” 

Jolly Polly could not drive Lute out of 
the garden without some one to help her. 
Jane would not help her. She was naughty 
and cross because the poppies did not nod 
their heads so that Jolly Polly could tell 
her her dearest wish. Just then Lute, the 
peacock, spread his beautiful tail. 

“Oh, goody, goody! ” cried Jane, “Lute 
spread his tail and shook his tail and the 
poppies right near the path are nodding a 
little!” 

“If you will help me drive Lute out of 
the garden I will tell you my dearest wish,” 
cried Jolly Polly. 

“I know an easy way to get him out,” 
cried Jane. She took off her long pink 
hair ribbon and tied it around the pea- 
cock’s neck and with many loving words 
led him out of the garden. Lute was a 


JOLLY POLLY’S DEAREST WISH 75 

pet tame peacock, you must remember. 
He was used to having Jolly Polly tie her 
hair ribbons around his neck and lead 
him around. 

“I was so excited I forgot about lead- 
ing him,” laughed Jolly Polly. “Doesn’t 
he just love to hear loving words!” 

“Now tell me your dearest wish,” said 
Jane. “See! See, Jolly Polly, a breeze 
makes all the poppies bob their heads; now 
you may tell me your wish!” 

So Jolly Polly whispered her wish in 
little Jane’s ear. “I wish that my daddy 
would come home to-day.” 

“Is that all,” exclaimed Jane, greatly 
disappointed. “I thought it would be a 
big, big wish. A wish that would make 
me glad, too!” 

“It is a big, big wish!” answered Jolly 
Polly. “I haven’t seen my daddy in days 
and days, and weeks and weeks. I wish 


76 JOLLY POLLY’S DEAREST WISH 

he would come home and never go away 
and stay again. He is the dearest and best 
daddy in the world and I love him!” 

Little Jane looked ready to cry. “I 
thought you would wish for a box of candy 
or something you could share,” she cried. 

Jolly Polly put her loving little arms 
around Jane’s neck. “I will share my 
father with you,” she said. “You can hug 
him, and kiss him, and sit on his knee.” 

Jane pouted. “You ought to wish for 
a father with a big box of candy in his 
pocket!” she said. “If I could have my 
dearest wish, I should wish for one with 
his pockets stuffed with presents.” 

Jolly Polly laughed and clapped her 
hands. “I will wish again. I will wish 
for a daddy, and his pockets stuffed with 
presents!” 

“Look at Lute, and Mutty, and Jud, 
and Tortsie, all watching us through the 


JOLLY POLLY’S DEAREST WISH 77 

garden gate ! ” laughed Jane. “ They won- 
der why we are glad. They don’t know 
our daddy is coming.” 

“Bow-bow!” said Mutty, the curly dog. 
“Quack! quack!” said Jud, the fat white 
duck. Lute, the peacock, spread his tail 
and screamed loudly. And oh, you should 
have heard Tortsie, the donkey, bray! He 
brayed so loud that the little girls put their 
fingers in their ears to shut out the dread- 
ful sound. 

“I believe they do know why we are 
glad!” cried Jolly Polly. “I believe they 
are trying to say ‘Your daddy is coming 
this very minute and you must run down 
the road to meet him.’” 

The little girls ran out of the garden 
and down the road. Yes, Jolly Polly’s 
father was coming. A great big handsome 
father! Down the road after the little girls 
trotted Tortsie, the donkey, kicking up his 


78 JOLLY POLLY’S DEAREST WISH 

heels, Mutty, the curly dog, barking loudly, 
Jud, the fat white duck, quacking, and 
Lute, the peacock, screaming. It was a 
very exciting moment. 

“I hope his pockets are stuffed with 
presents! ” panted Jane. Jane was little and 
fat and found it hard work to run as fast as 
Jolly Polly. Jolly Polly’s father caught her 
up in his arms and kissed her. “My dear 
little sunshine girl! It is six weeks since 
Daddy has seen his own Jolly Polly!” 

“My dearest wish came true,” Jolly 
Polly answered, hugging him. “My dear- 
est wish came true!” 

“And here is Jane,” said Daddy. He 
took Jane up in his arms, too. 

“Are your pockets stuffed with pres- 
ents.^” asked Jane. “Jolly Polly wished 
they would be.” 

“Ha! Ha! Ha!” laughed Daddy. 
“Well, I have two boxes of candy and 


JOLLY POLLY’S DEAREST WISH 79 

two dolls for two little girls that I love. 
How will that do.^” 

“It will do! Splendid!'''* Jane and Polly 
both answered at once. 

Lute, the peacock, screamed. Mutty, 
the curly dog, barked. Tortsie, the don- 
key, brayed, and Jud, the fat white duck, 
quacked. 

“Ha! Ha!” laughed Daddy. “All the 
family are coming out to meet me, I see!” 

Just then down the road Mother came 
running with Baby Sister in her arms. 
Grandma stood at the gate and waited. 

Daddy gave the little girls their boxes 
of candy and their dolls and ran on down 
the road to meet Mother and Baby Sister. 

“Oh, isn’t it a glad, happy day when 
Daddy comes home!” said Jolly Polly. 

“Your dearest wish all came true,” said 
Jane, sucking a very large piece of candy 
and hugging her new dolly. 


JOLLY POLLY’S SURPRISE 
PARTY 


J OLLY POLLY used to go and stand 
by the tame bluejay’s cage, all alone, 
and talk to him. “You’re a tame 
bluejay, a pet, tame bluejay, and yet you 
live in a cage. We let you out; you’re 
naughty and peck Baby Sister when she 
sits under the trees on her nice, blue rug. 
I want you to be good, so you can follow 
me around the yard as Mutty does, and 
Lute, and the fat, white duck. 

“I want you to be happy and free, be- 
cause you are my own beautiful bluejay, 
and I love you.” 

The bluejay would put his head on one 
side and make a queer little chuckling 
note in his throat. He was trying to 
say: 

“Oh, Jolly Polly, please let me out of 


JOLLY POLLY’S SURPRISE PARTY 8i 

the cage, and I’ll be good and not peck 
Baby Sister.” 

“I believe you are only trying to kiss 
Baby Sister,” Jolly Polly continued. “I 
believe you love her. I will ask Mamma 
to give you one more trial, and I will 
promise her that you will be a good 
bluejay.” 

Jolly Polly’s mother was glad to give 
the bluejay one more chance to be good. 
Mr. Bluejay was so glad to be free that 
for some time he just flew about from tree 
to tree and would not come down into the 
yard. 

Jolly Polly shook her finger at him. 
“Now remember,” she called up to him, 
“you must not peck Baby Sister. No! 
No!” 

Baby Sister sat on her new, blue rug 
under the trees. Oh, how pretty she 
looked! No one ever had a prettier baby 


82 JOLLY POLLY’S SURPRISE PARTY 

sister than Jolly Polly. Mutty, the curly 
dog, barked for the bluejay to come down 
from the tree. Jud, the fat, white duck, 
looked up and squawked at him; Lute, 
the peacock, screamed at him. Jolly Polly 
coaxed and called to him in loving tones 
to come down. 

All at once the bluejay saw Baby Sister 
sitting on her blue rug. He flew down to 
a limb on a tree right over her head, and 
then, after a moment, he flew down from 
the tree and walked right up to her. 
Baby Sister laughed and held out her 
hand. 

“Pretty, pretty,” said Baby Sister, 
“Oh, pretty, pretty!” 

Jolly Polly’s mother stood in the door- 
way watching Jolly Polly and little cousin 
Jane with their pets. 

The bluejay did not peck Baby Sister! 
He chirped and walked up into her lap 






JOLLY POLLY’S SURPRISE PARTY 83 

and Baby Sister patted him with her little, 
chubby hands. 

Jolly Polly danced and clapped her 
hands. ‘‘Oh, joy, joy!” she cried. “My 
bluejay is going to be good, Mother. 
My dear bluejay is going to be good!” 

“Yes, Mr. Bluejay is a good boy, now,” 
said Mother, “I really believe he loves 
our sweet Baby Sister.” 

Jane was so glad, that she lay down in 
the grass and kicked up her heels. “Oh, 
joy, joy,” she cried, “Mr. Bluejay is go- 
ing to be good!” 

“Get up off the grass, Jane,” said 
Mother. “You have on your best white 
dress! ” 

“I don’t want on my best white dress,” 
answered Jane. “I want on my old blue 
rompers, so I can roll and be glad!” 

“I don’t want on my best white dress 
either,” said Jolly Polly. “Why are we 


84 JOLLY POLLY’S SURPRISE PARTY 

dressed in our prettiest dresses this morrt- 
ing, Mamma?” 

“Go out and sit on the gate-posts a 
little while and you will see,” said Mother 
with a laugh. 

Jolly Polly sat on one gate-post and 
Jane on the other. Mr. Bluejay sat on a 
limb in a tree over their heads. Mutty, 
the curly dog, barked wildly and scampered 
about. Lute, the peacock, spread his gor- 
geous tail and strutted up and down. 

“I know all the children who live on 
our beautiful road,” said Jolly Polly, clap- 
ping her hands. “Perhaps some one is 
coming to see us and Mother set us up 
here to watch.” 

Just then the children commenced 
coming. Oh, so many dear little girls 
and boys, — coming from both directions! 
Little boys skipping, little girls tripping, — 
all coming to see Jolly Polly and Jane. 


JOLLY POLLY’S SURPRISE PARTY 85 

“It’s a party!” cried Jolly Polly. “A 
party! Mother put on our white dresses 
and to surprise us has invited a party!” 

Jane screamed with joy. Oh, how loud 
Jane could scream! 

“A party, a party! ” she screamed. “All 
the littlest children coming to see us!” 

As the children came trooping to the 
gate. Jolly Polly and Jane jumped down 
from the gate-posts to meet them. 

There were six little girls and six little 
boys. “We’re all here,” said Jolly Polly 
joyfully. “It is a surprise party; I didn’t 
know you were coming!” 

Lute, the peacock, spread his gorgeous 
tail and strutted about among the children. 

The children were all dressed in their 
prettiest clothes, but none looked quite so 
fine as Lute, the peacock. 

“Every one is at the party but the fan- 
tailed pigeons and the baby calf,” said 


86 JOLLY POLLY’S SURPRISE PARTY 

Mother. “I will go and let out the 
pigeons and bring the baby calf into the 
yard so she can watch the fun.” 

Oh, it was a joyful sight, — Baby Sister 
sitting on her blue rug and the children 
and the pets all playing around her! 

Tortsie was there, of course. The chil- 
dren all loved to ride Jolly Polly’s mouse- 
colored donkey. Mutty, the curly dog, 
barked and stood on his hind legs and did 
his best to be funny. Jud, the fat, white 
duck sat in a pan of water and squawked. 
Mr. Bluejay stayed in a tree over Baby 
Sister’s head and looked very happy. 

Mother spread the party dinner on a 
long table under the trees. There were 
chicken sandwiches and cream puffs and 
raspberry tarts and, oh, so many good 
things! Jolly Polly sat at one end of the 
table and Jane at the other. The six 
little boys and girls sat on either side of 


JOLLY POLLY’S SURPRISE PARTY 87 

the table. Oh, how they all did laugh 
and talk! Jane laughed loudest of all. 
Dear little Jane had never been to a party 
before. 

One of the fan-tailed pigeons walked 
down the middle of the table and took a 
bite of whatever he pleased. Lute, the 
peacock, stayed close by Jolly Polly and 
looked up into her face. 

“Don’t forget me,” he seemed to say. 
“I see you have Toodles, the kitten, in 
your lap, but don’t forget me.” 

Jolly Polly gave Lute many nice little 
bites from the goodies on her plate. 

There have been many children’s parties, 
but do you think there was ever quite such 
a jolly party as our own Jolly Polly’s.^ 


JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 

J OLLY POLLY’S nurse was a pretty 
young woman who always wore a blue 
dress and a dainty white ruffled apron. 
“Your hair is ed-zactly like molasses 
candy,” said Jolly Polly one morning, sit- 
ting up in bed. “When you stand by 
the window and the sun shines on you 
like it does this minute, I could eat 
you up.” 

“Oh! Oh!” cried Miss Mary Beth 
Wigglesworth, laughing, “will you eat me, 
fraternity pin and all. Jolly Polly 

“We will have our morning song, and 
then I will eat you with bananas and 
cream,” little Polly answered, foolishly. 

Polly was like all little girls. She liked 
to say foolish things sometimes, just to 
make people laugh. 

Miss Mary Beth tripped across the 


JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 89 

nursery to the piano. It was a baby 
grand piano and belonged exclusively to 
Jolly Polly. Her grandfather gave it to 
her when she was four years old. She 
was five years old now, and could play 
two little tunes all by herself 

Oh, what a very beautiful nurse Miss 
Mary Beth Wigglesworth was, and how 
dearly Polly loved her! She sat down at 
the little piano and struck the keys and 
played as if all the music in the Dream-to- 
Come World belonged to her and the little 
girl on the bed. 

“Hark, hark, the lark at Heaven’s gate. 
When Phoebus ’gins to rise,” 

sang Miss Mary Beth. 

Jolly Polly crept out of bed and pushed 
a chair closer to the piano and climbed 
into it. She certainly was a lovely little 
girl with her bright eyes and her curls. 


90 JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 

Miss Mary Beth sang the song again, 
and Polly raised her chin and sang 
too: 

“Hark, hark, the lark at Heaven’s gate. 

When Phoebus ’gins to rise.” 

Little Polly understood just what the 
song meant — they had sung it together 
every morning for a week. 

“Do you know what day to-morrow 
is.^” Miss Mary Beth asked, turning 
around on the music stool suddenly. 

Jolly Polly bobbed her head. 

“Christmas; Christmas Day!” 

Miss Mary Beth caught the little girl 
in her arms and hugged her close. 

“It is the Blessed Day and every one 
loves every one else. Jolly Polly. Even 
naughty people forget themselves and re- 
member the poor and the sick and the 
lonely on Christmas Day.” 



POLLY RAISED HER CHIN AND SANG 
TOO 




JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 91 

Jolly Polly slipped out of her nurse’s 
lap and climbed into the chair again. 

“Play the song I can sing all by my 
little self, that grandfather taught me,” she 
said. 

“Yes, you darling,” answered Miss 
Mary Beth, and turned to the piano and 
played. 

Jolly Polly, only five years old, raised 
her chin and sang: 

“Oh, little town of Bethlehem, how still 
we see thee lie! 

Above thy deep and dfeamless sleep the 
silent stars go by; 

Yet in thy dark street shineth the Ever- 
lasting Light; 

The hopes and fears of all the years are 
met in thee to-night!” 

She could sing every word of this song 
by herself, and she understood what it 


92 JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 

meant. When Polly finished her song, 
Miss Mary Beth turned again on the 
music stool. 

“How many presents have you ready 
to give, Jolly Polly she asked, clap- 
ping her hands. “This is the day we 
wrap up our presents in gold and silver 
paper.” 

Jolly Polly had beautiful presents given 
to her almost every day in the year. On 
Christmas Day she never got one little 
present, and she never expected to get 
one, for her papa and her mamma always 
had her give presents to the poor and the 
sick and the lonely on Christmas Day, 
and Christmas was the happiest day in all 
the year. 

When Miss Mary Beth spoke of pres- 
ents, Jolly Polly jumped out of her chair 
and danced around the nursery. 

“I have fifty-two presents!” she said. 


JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 93 

“Fifty-two presents to tie up in gold and 
silver paper. I guess I ’ve surprised you 
now, Miss Mary Beth!” 

“Who told you there were fifty-two 
weeks in a year, you sweet little girl.^” 
laughed Miss Mary Beth Wigglesworth. 
She stood up and shook out her blue dress 
and danced around the nursery with Jolly 
Polly. 

“Grandfather told me,” answered Polly, 
looking up into her nurse’s eyes. “Last 
Sunday he taught me a Blessed Day verse, 
and we looked at our presents that we’ve 
been hiding away for weeks and weeks and 
weeks.” 

Miss Mary Beth caught Jolly Polly up 
in her arms and stood her on the table in 
the centre of the room. 

“What is the Blessed Day verse your 
grandfather taught you, darling Say it 
to me, right now!” 


94 JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 

Jolly Polly’s eyes shone. “It is more 
blessed to give than to get,” she said. 

Miss Mary Beth laughed and laughed 
as she carried her into the bathroom. 

“Did I say my verse ed-zactly right. 
asked Polly, anxiously. “I felt a little 
‘cited’ cause you tossed me up to the 
table.” 

“You said it the way I like to hear 
you. Now tell me, my dear, which would 
you rather do — give fifty-two presents on 
Christmas Day or get fifty-two.^” asked 
Miss Mary Beth, as she lifted Jolly Polly 
into the bathtub. 

“Oh, give!” cried Jolly Polly. “Every- 
one gives on Christmas Day in our beauti- 
ful world!” 

“When every one wants to give, and 
when every one is able to give, then it 
will be a wonderful world, a dream world 
of love come true,” said Miss Mary Beth. 


JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 95 

Jolly Polly sat in the bathtub of water 
and looked up at her nurse with a beauti- 
ful look in her brown eyes. 

“Grandfather says the Christ Child was 
giving and giving and giving all His life. 
We try to be like Him on Christmas Day, 
don’t we.^” 

Miss Mary Beth Wigglesworth wrapped 
Jolly Polly in a very large bath towel. 

“Yes,” she answered. “All His life the 
little Christ Child was giving and giving and 
giving. He never once thought of getting. 
And when the little Christ Child grew to be 
a man He gave Himself” 

Miss Mary Beth and Jolly Polly had 
their breakfast in a little sunny room close 
to the nursery. They had fried chicken 
and waffles and honey. 

After breakfast mamma and papa and 
grandfather all came in to see Jolly Polly 
and say good morning. 


96 JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 

“This is the day we tie up our presents 
in gold and silver paper and get ready for 
Christmas,” cried the little girl the moment 
they came into the room. “To-morrow is 
the day when we make every one happy.” 

“Well,” said grandfather, laughing his 
great big laugh. “Ha! ha! I have sixty 
presents ready to give to the poor, and the 
sick and the lonely to-morrow.” 

“I have a present for every day of the 
year,” — mamma clapped her pretty hands 
— “three hundred and sixty-five presents 
ready! ” 

“I am afraid I’m a naughty boy,” said 
papa, shaking his head. “You see time 
goes so fast and business is very pressing.” 

Jolly Polly stood up in her chair and 
put her arms around her father’s neck. 

“Not one, even one little present for 
the poor and the sick and the lonely.?” 
she asked sorrowfully. 



JOLLY POLLY AND ALL THE PEOPLE 
IN THE HOUSE WERE VERY BUSY 
TYING UP PACKAGES IN GOLD 
AND SILVER PAPER 








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JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 97 

Papa bowed his head. “I could give a 
few silver dollars, — as many as you are 
years old, I suppose,” he said. 

“Silver dollars!” cried Jolly Polly, 
clapping her hands. “You’re a good boy 
if you will give silver dollars, but please 
give two times as many as I am years 
old!” 

“All right, I will, seeing it’s you. 
But I have to have two hugs!” 

Jolly Polly gave him two good ones, 
and two extra kisses. 

All that long day Miss Mary Beth 
Wigglesworth and Jolly Polly and all the 
people in the house were very busy tying 
up packages in gold and silver paper. 
And the next day was Christmas Day. 
Oh, what a glad and happy day it was 
for Jolly Polly! The moment it was light 
Miss Mary Beth woke her up and dressed 
her, and as soon as the sun came they 


98 JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 

were ready to start on their errands of 
love — grandfather and papa and mamma 
and Jolly Polly with her nurse. 

Oh, what fun they had going around, 
laughing and talking that Christmas Day! 
And how do you suppose they gave the 
presents, my dear little reader.? 

In front of many a house they would 
stop and quickly put down a basket, — a 
basket of good things close to the door. 

“Listen!” said Jolly Polly; “the next 
is one of my baskets. I have seen the 
poor little girl who lives in that drab 
house. There is a doll in the basket for 
her and a bright red dress and a pair of 
shoes and candy and apples and silver 
dollars.” Jolly Polly went tiptoeing up 
the high drab steps. She rapped very 
hard on the door, then ran down the 
steps and across the street to her 
mother. “Oh, won’t the little girl jump 


JOLLY POLLY’S CHRISTMAS 99 

for joy! She will be so surprised and 
delighted! ” 

And Jolly Polly’s father clapped his 
hands. “Right now, my pet, while the 
little girl is getting your basket, you must 
sing your Christmas song.” 

So Jolly Polly raised her small chin and 
sang. She sang as loud as she could: the 
little girl in the house could hear her: 

“Oh, Little Child, O Christ Child dear, 
with praise our hearts are free! 

We give the gifts God gives to us, ador- 
ing none but Thee! 

Peace, peace on earth, in heaven above. 
The joy of Christmas Day is Love!” 

















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